Before we get to the game, let's stop for a minute to discuss the Rangers this year. Their motto has been something along the lines of - "I feel the need...the need for speed!" - and it certainly has been entertaining to watch. Leading up to every game, we hear the players stating some variation of how they need to use their speed. The NHL betting lines have shifted as a result and the Rangers are often favored most nights.

But what happens when an opponent is able to slow that speed game down? The Senators gave us the answer last night.

People have stated how great Anderson was and also complained how frustrating Boucher's system is to compete against. While it's true that Anderson was fine he easily attained the shutout since he was rarely challenged. It's true that the Senators' defensive style is boring to watch. However, good teams will work around those things. Good teams come to the came with more than just Plan A.

Personally, I defend Vigneault. However, his inability to make in-game adjustments is beyond maddening. If the Rangers want to play a speed game, that's great. However, if an opponent is filling up the neutral zone, then you need to adjust. For Vigneault, he continues to try and put a square peg into a round hole. This stubborness is what ultimately doomed the Rangers last night.

The Rangers tried over and over again to skate through the wall Ottawa on the red line. They continued to turn the puck over and the Senators capitalized. It's one thing to be stubborn and keep at the plan through the first period. Why the team didn't alter the game plan during the first intermission is mind-boggling.

Halfway through the third period the Rangers finally shifted to a dump and chase game. However, the Rangers forgot that they have to "chase" after they "dump". This strategy at least got the puck got near Anderson. Their shots were limited to the perimeter but it was a start. Perhaps if they changed to this strategy during the first or second period, they may have ended up with a goal or at least challenged Anderson.

The defense took a lot of the blame and certainly they did not have a great night. However, they did get the pucks out of their zone, only to see the forwards turn it right back over. The Rangers defense is certainly not perfect but when the team has a bad defensive outing, I think the blame needs to be shared with more than just those six player. The forwards are guilty as well.

It's interesting to think about what the Rangers goalies feel during games like this. Late in the third period, the Senators appeared to be on a breakaway. Raanta headed towards the blue line. He was able to stop the play but then sent the puck up the ice to give the Rangers a scoring opportunity. This was the best pass of the night. It appeared that Raanta would have skated it down himself. If the goalies can see the problem, then, I don't understand why the coaches and players do not. If they can fix that, then Vigneault might actually get the Jack Adams this year. And to top it off, the Rangers probably would have won last night.

]]>bloguin@bloguin.com (Chad Cartwright)frontpageTue, 29 Nov 2016 22:00:47 +0000Taking a look in on the Wildhttp://www.islandershockeyblog.com/2014-articles/january/taking-a-look-in-on-the-wild.html
http://www.islandershockeyblog.com/2014-articles/january/taking-a-look-in-on-the-wild.htmlThe Tweet by Minneapolis Star Tribune Wild beat writer Michael Russo says it all. As good as things are, it doesn't appear to be statistically sustainable. Or is it? Minnesota is the ultimate example of the score by committee approach as it has managed to generate offense from all 4 of its lines and with 18 different players with at least a goal prior to the start of November it has been a different hero each night. So there is a lot of redundancy to the Wild's attack and the team clearly has bought in to what the new coaching staff has been selling and the reward is where they sit in the Central Division standings.

The Wild also had some welcome days to rest and recover from what has been a physically demanding last few games. With some bumps and bruises that have kept Zach Parise, Marco Scandella and Erik Haula out of the lineup, the Wild have been forced to adjust but so far have shown resiliency which was an issue during the previous coaching regime. Another struggle the previous regime seemed to have was its struggles to get back into form after a few days off. Can this staff keep Minnesota focused and executing at a high level against what should be a motivated Sabres squad hoping to avenge a loss to the Wild from a week ago? For those of you interested in online hockey betting, this certainly is an interesting question.

1st Period Thoughts: Someone grab the small bottle of 5 Hour Energy, a bottle of Jolt soda or some Tabasco Sauce and have each member of the Minnesota Wild drink all of it. Because after a catatonic period where the Sabres outhustled, outplayed and outchanced the Wild it makes you wonder if they were asleep. It was lethargic from the Wild right from the drop of the puck. Buffalo was winning all of the little races to the puck and they were not hesitating to work pucks to the point men who then would rifle shots on goal and then look for rebound. Devan Dubnyk found himself under siege early and a just a few minutes in a shot from the point by Rasmus Ristolainen would hammer a slap shot that was stopped by Dubnyk but he was unable to stop Ryan O'Reilly's rebound bid. 1-0 Sabres. Minnesota didn't seem to be awaken almost at all after Buffalo's early tally and they continued to mostly sleepwalk through the rest of the period. Lazy area passes with lots of standing and reaching instead of skating meant the Wild were going to continue to have chase the Sabres around its offensive zone. The lines that looked so good a few days ago now looked disjointed, mostly uninspired and ineffective. It seemed that on any given shift, you'd have one Wild forward that would hustle and the rest would just sort of watch and hope he was able to get the puck somehow. Even as Dubnyk denied Nick Baptiste, the team continued to sort of go through the motions. One player who I felt was exceptionally bad was Mathew Dumba. The normally offensive-minded defenseman completely spaced and didn't hold the zone and then as the Sabres counter attacked he half-heartedly defended and the result was Buffalo nearly added to its lead. Few Wild players seemed interested in creating much offensively and the result was we did very little to test Robin Lehner. I know Bruce Boudreau complained about the lack of players available to practice due to salary cap constraints, but that doesn't excuse this team being outworked and outhustled after having two days to rest up prior to tonight's game. Minnesota would be wise to copy Buffalo's approach and keep it simple and work for a goal and put some pressure on the younger and less experienced Sabres.

2nd Period Thoughts: The 2nd period the Wild would awaken a bit, but poor execution nearly turned it into a disaster. Minnesota started to move its feet more and this meant they did not spend the period chasing around its own end of the ice. Even though the hustle was there, the decision-making left a lot to be desired. A few cases in point. 3 on 1 for the Nino Niederreiter, Charlie Coyle, Eric Staal line (which was by far the best line of the game so far for Minnesota) but with Nino with the puck and a clear look at the net tries to pass the puck to Coyle who seemed surprised and they didn't even get a shot off. A few minutes later it was the Wild catching the Sabres on a poor line change and without too much trouble had a 4-on-2. Instead of pressing the attack they slowed down and no one seemed to know what to do and by the time the puck worked its way to Dumba he had no clear shooting lane and another odd-man rush would go without a shot being taken. You could feel the frustration in the crowd and Minnesota tried to clean up its act and the next time the Niederreiter-Coyle-Staal line got a 3-on-2, Nino pulled the trigger and Lehner had a tough time fighting off the shot. A power play would finally give the Wild the chance it needed to bury the biscuit as Jason Pominville made a nice play to work the puck deep in the offensive zone, sending a pass to Staal who let go a low-lying shot that yielded a big rebound that was swept by Mikael Granlund who moved in dangled around a sprawling Lehner to backhand it into the open net. 1-1 game and Minnesota looked to have finally awaken. Minnesota out shot the Sabres 15-7 in the 2nd. Another player with a good period was Tyler Graovac who was moving well and making good plays at both ends of the ice. I like how he was taking the puck to the net and throwing his 6'5" frame around.

3rd Period Thoughts: The 3rd period would see the Wild ease up and the Sabres waited patiently to ramp up the intensity and Minnesota deserved the fate it received. Minnesota seemed to want to work for some pretty finish and more often than not this resulted in no shot at all. The Sabres would wait for Minnesota to make a mistake and it would come about halfway through the period when the team caught the Wild pinching with its worst defenseman, Nate Prosser and it was Brian Gionta racing into the Wild zone and swinging a centering pass that partially deflected by Jared Spurgeon and onto the stick of a crashing Johan Larsson who tapped it by Dubnyk. 2-1 Sabres and you'd expect the home team to be fired up after that small defensive breakdown right? Nope, it was more of a lethargic effort while Buffalo seemed eager to add to its lead with simple, in-your face hockey. Buffalo nearly added another when Ennis set up Marcus Foligno for a tap in chance after he outhustled Jonas Brodin for a loose puck. Only a Dubnyk save kept the Wild within one. Minnesota continued to look uninspired and it wasn't until the final two minutes, leading up to the Wild pulling Dubnyk for an extra attacker that the team started to show some urgency. Yet it was too little too late, as the Sabres continued to force the puck to the wall and just outworked us and Minnesota didn't even get a shot on goal with the extra attacker and the Wild fell 2-1.

Devan Dubnyk played well enough for the Wild to have a chance in this game, making 22 saves in the loss. He didn't have to face many chances tonight, but I thought he was left out to dry a bit by his defenseman whose effort seemed to be a bit lax this evening. Even Christian Folin who was coming off some of his best hockey was soft on the puck at the worst time when O'Reilly got the opening goal of the game. Same was true on the game winning tally as Spurgeon opted for an interception instead of taking the body against Gionta, not to mention a lazy effort to get back in the play by Prosser who should feel awful after his ill-advised pinch. Zero excuse for lazy, leaning and reaching play the Wild's defense had tonight after having the last two days off.

Offensively the Wild had one line that was going in the Staal-Coyle-Niederreiter line but even that group wasn't generating enough shots and quality chances as they were guilty of trying to make the perfect play instead of a simple one. The rest of the lines had a few flashes but were mostly forgettable or lacked cohesion. The 4th line of Graovac, Schroeder, Bertschy didn't add much of anything and the Sabres often would try to press the attack when they were on the ice. A few bright spots were the play of Staal and the pesky play of Pominville who I feel has been pretty understated while being bounced around to just about every line the Wild have.

This was a game where the Sabres nearly left the Wild off the hook for its poor effort, but Minnesota just couldn't capitalize on the chances they were given. From the failed odd-man rushes to simple let downs defensively are what ultimately cost the Wild at a good chance at another 2 points in the standings. Yes this team is beat up, but it still does not excuse being outworked as much as they were tonight by the Sabres who simply seemed to want this one more than the Wild did. Now they have another few days off before they go and play what will likely be a very motivated Colorado squad. The question is, will the Wild be motivated or will they look like they did this evening?

Iowa would get out to a fast start as Alex Tuch set up Colton Beck for a quick strike just a little past 3 minutes into the game. The Admirals tried to answer back but Steve Michalek was rock solid, weathering the storm and keeping Iowa holding onto a 1-goal lead. Iowa would add to its lead less than a minute into the 2nd as Jordan Schroeder was just able to tuck in a shot near the right post to make it 2-0 Wild. The Admirals would answer back with two goals from Matt White and a power play tally by Adam Payerl from in close to tie the game at 2-2. A few minutes later it was the Wild who struck after a frantic few seconds near the Admirals crease that had Juuse Saros flopping around but unable to cover the puck up before Sam Anas was able to jam the puck over the goal line, 3-2 Wild. Iowa would then lock it down in the 3rd and the Wild would finish the home-at-home with a 2-game sweep. Michalek was superb making 36 saves in the victory.

Wild Prospect Report:

LW - Kirill Kaprizov (Salavat Yulaev Ufa, KHL) ~ the talented winger is certainly enjoying the fact he's playing for a much stronger team, as he chipped in a primary assist in Salavat's 6-0 win over Sibir Novosibirsk. Kaprizov has 10 goals, 20 points, 62 PIM's and is a +9 in 24 games.

The New York Rangers were active over the offseason, acquiring talent and getting healthy.

Now the Rangers enter the preseason looking to make a run and stand as one of the more intriguing teams bettors should consider when playing NHL futures and lines. With so much potential for a solid payout, bettors should take a look at NHL online sportsbook odds and consider making a wager given the positivity around the franchise.

Here’s a look at the latest preseason news and notes around the Rangers.

Maxim Lapierre Gets a Tryout

The Rangers will have center Maxim Lapierre in camp for a tryout before the season. He’s a veteran of the MODO Hockey in the SHL and HC Lugano of the Swiss National League A. Now 31 years old, Lapierre was last seen in the NHL in 2014 when he suited up for 80 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

There, he recorded 11 points and served in a smooth rotational role. The Rangers could use such a presence, provided Lapierre nails his tryout.

Mackenzie Skapski Back on Track

The Rangers were on the receiving end of a major blow last year when Mackenzie Skapski suffered a hip injury and didn’t have a chance to suit up.

A high-upside goalie at the age of 22, Skapski showed promise in 2014 and has throughout his developmental trek. Word out of New York’s recent developmental camp is he looks back to 100 percent after surgery, which is huge news for both Skapski and the team. A fully healthy Skapski means the Rangers have more options than usual this upcoming season should the coaching staff need to promote someone to the main roster.

Mika Zibanejad Looks Ready

Mika Zibanejad is another example of what a solid job the Rangers have done building up their system over the years.

Zibanejad is just 23 years old and just landed with the Rangers via a trade with the Ottawa Senators. Last year he trumpeted this upside with a strong 21 goals and 51 points, with word out of camp this year suggesting he’s ready to post even more production. This would obviously be a huge boon for the Rangers, who coughed up elite scoring option Derick Brassard in the trade.

]]>bloguin@bloguin.com (Rob Malone)frontpageSun, 14 Aug 2016 03:00:21 +0000Types of Slotshttp://www.islandershockeyblog.com/2014-articles/april/types-of-slots.html
http://www.islandershockeyblog.com/2014-articles/april/types-of-slots.htmlThe slot machines atNorske Spilleautomater.comare typically known as some of the most famous choices of the casino visitors from different parts of the world. The conventional slot machines have levers that can initiate the reel spinning for the coiled spring of the machine. Each of these reels will stop and go at a random time. Once you stop the reels, the slot machine will read out the result and will award you with a pay out, if you are eligible to have them. In some casino centers, the slot machines have computerized slots that utilize random number generators to help control the reel stopping rate.

Bonus Multiplier

The bonus multiplier slots somehow have a somewhat similar structure with the straight multiplier in terms of paying out. Assuming that the slot machine can accommodate up to three coins per game, you may add a bonus payout if you decide to play this maximum number of coins per game. You can typically use the same payout ratio used for the straight multiplier slot machines. In this light, you can use a payout schedule that can award you with five coins everytime you fit a cherry with only one coin inserted, ten coins for two coins, and 25 for three coins.

Straight Multiplier

The straight multiplierslotsare slot machines that can help increase your pay out rate by a constant multiple for each of the additional coin that you decide to play. You can have no advantage if you decide to play using the maximum amount of coins for this type of machine. For instance, acquiring three bars will pay you out with ten coins if you have played using one coin. The same ratio applies if you decide to play using 20 or 30 coins.

Multiple Pay Lines

On the other hand, the multiple pay lines for the slots can permit you to purchase additional pay lines. You can use this by inserting more coins in the machine. Playing only one coin can generally activate the middle pay line only. If you have scored a winning result for the top or the bottom line, you may not be paid if ever you have played with only one coin. The second coin that you will insert will typically add up to the top line. On the other hand, the third coin will add up to the bottom line. If the slot machine can accommodate up to five coins, the next two coins can help activate two of the diagonal pay lines.

]]>jug.george@gmail.com (Islanders Hockey Blog)frontpageWed, 02 Apr 2014 21:32:55 +0000Looking At The Islander’s Playoffs Chanceshttp://www.islandershockeyblog.com/2013-articles/april/looking-at-the-islanders-playoffs-chances.html
http://www.islandershockeyblog.com/2013-articles/april/looking-at-the-islanders-playoffs-chances.htmlFounded in 1972, The New York islanders have not seen much playoff action since the 80’s. Islanders fans reminisce fondly of a time when the team was a menacing force to be reckon with. Between 1980 and 1984, the Islanders won 19 successive playoff series and four successive Stanley Cups (1980-83), cementing an unequaled status for the team in professional sports. However, the New York Islanders have seen various unsuccessful team rebuilds, money issues, poor management, and low spectator attendance in its more recent years. The Islanders have not seen a playoff series win since the 92-93 NHL season but seem to be making a long overdue push for the playoffs this year.

Hockey betting strategies can be quite simple. If you decide against the safety of a spread, then it is best to research the team beforehand. Given the Islanders’ constant losses against Pittsburgh in March, it would have been wise to bet against the Islanders during the March 30th game.

March has clearly been a good month for the Islanders, as they seem to be really pushing hard for a playoff spot. Enthusiasts who want to place wagers may find this team a good choice in sport betting. Currently, the Islanders sit on the 8th place tied with their metropolitan area rivals the Devils (both with 39 points) after beating the Winnipeg Jets. Only 11 more games remain for the Islanders in the regular season, which if they prove to be as successful as their games in March, could garner the Islanders a playoff position. With Frans Nielsen’s go-ahead goals and Kevin Poulin's 23 saves, the NY Islanders were able to secure a critical 5-2 win against the Jets on Tuesday, Apr 2, 2013.

The team also secured a win against the Devils last April 1, with Nielsen scoring two goals. However, the Islanders seemed to get a little too comfortable with the early first period lead. The second period saw the Isles retreat and simply hold-on until the period was over. Unfortunately for the Islanders, the Devils adjusted towards their sleepy demeanor and managed to score a goal after minutes of constant pressure in the Islanders zone. The third period was an average effort, but nowhere near as chaotic as the second period. The Islanders were able to bury a third goal into the net with the first powerplay opportunity. Following their third goal, they simply held on and protected their lead until the end of the game. The Islanders got some other powerplay opportunities but were not able to maximize their advantage.

Keys to Playoff Success

Stronger Offensive Powerplay

Ultimately, while the crucial four-point game against the Devils was a win, it also revealed some improvements the team needs to make. The Islanders powerplay needs to be more effective and cannot act like it did against Pittsburgh. Given the Islanders current standing, every opportunity needs to be met with a confident and efficient offensive as it can mean the difference between a 9th and 8th position. Hopefully, their most recent win is a previews towards the rest of the month’s games.

Defense

What the Islanders need to focus on primarily is their defense. In two of the last seven games, they have been giving out leads, which is an issue that needs to be dealt with as soon as possible if they hope to enter the playoffs. It's a good thing that backup goalie Kevin Poulin played a fantastic game against Winnipeg while Evegeni Nabakov took his much-needed break. The team needs to push themselves desperately, especially on home ice. The team needs to focus on their mindset, as confidence seems to be a factor.

Another key element would be the young up-and comer Tavares. With his 4 goals and 7 assists this season, the Canadian born player believes the Islanders can make it to the playoffs this season. The player has a great way of predicting plays and is constantly changing his game, which makes him a lethal adversary.

]]>jug.george@gmail.com (Islanders Hockey Blog)frontpageThu, 04 Apr 2013 00:44:12 +0000Islanders Assign Over 20 Players to Bridgeporthttp://www.islandershockeyblog.com/2012-articles/september/islanders-assign-over-20-players-to-bridgeport.html
http://www.islandershockeyblog.com/2012-articles/september/islanders-assign-over-20-players-to-bridgeport.htmlWith the second lockout in less then a decade practically here, the Islanders decided to make sure to get as much playing time as possible for as many players as possible. The biggest names on the list are Travis Hamonic, Nino Niederreiter, Casey Cizikas, Calvn de Haan, Matt Donovan, Kirill Kabanov, Brock Nelson, Aaron Ness, David Ullstrom, Kevin Poulin, and Anders Nilsson. All of the above had a chance to fight for an NHL role in training camp, but instead will find themselves battling for playing time in the AHL.

Whenever it is that the CBA situation is resolved, and the lockout comes to a close, expect Hamonic, Cizikas, and Donovan to be among the first to get the call-up.

In other news, 2011 and 2012 first round picks, Ryan Strome and Griffin Reinhart were both sent to their respective CHL clubs. Not quite how the Islanders saw the Strome situation resolving I'd imagine.]]>robertoscalia7@yahoo.com (Roberto Scalia)frontpageSat, 15 Sep 2012 18:03:35 +0000Visnovsky Trade Upheldhttp://www.islandershockeyblog.com/2012-articles/september/visnovsky-trade-upheld.html
http://www.islandershockeyblog.com/2012-articles/september/visnovsky-trade-upheld.htmlOn the day of the NHL draft the Islanders showed they meant business right away as they started the day off by trading their 2013 second round pick to the Ducks in return for arguably their best defenseman in Lubomir Visnovsky, who racked up points in 2010-11 by scoring 18 goals and 50 assists for a total of 68 points in 81 games. Last season wasn’t nearly as productive for “Lubo” who was nagged by injuries early on in the year, and could only manage 27 points in 68 games.

The Ducks were probably expecting last season to be the beginning of the end for Visnovsky’s career, however the Islanders are expecting otherwise as, along with Captain Mark Streit, the Islanders will possess quite the potent power play defensive line. Add John Tavares, Matt Moulson, and power play specialist Brad Boyes to the mix and power play coach Doug Weight is probably very anxious to get to work with this group.

I’m personally expecting the defensive lines to look something like this when the season commences:

Visnovsky – Hamonic

MacDonald – Streit

Carkner – Donovan/Ness/de Haan

While I’m not a huge fan of breaking up the tandem of Hamonic and MacDonald, there isn’t much choice in the matter as a tandem of Streit and Visnovsky would not leave much leeway for error in the Isles defensive zone. Hamonic would add the defensive potency Visnovsky lacks to his game, as well as pick up some tricks of the offensive trade from his experienced linemate. MacDonald and Streit have worked well together before, when A-Mac was just getting started in the NHL and Streit was his mentor, and there shouldn’t be much of a problem with the two working together again. Carkner will have the role of protector for the rookie who will almost certainly be getting the permanent call-up as the 6th defenseman on the roster. Whether it is Donovan, most likely of the candidates, Ness, or de Haan, opponents will more than likely be thinking twice of putting a big hit on the rookie with Carkner lurking close by. Carkner will also add some protection to the goalies, particularly DiPietro, who seemed to get run into a few times too often last season.

Parenteau’s unlikely return isn’t exactly breaking news to some as earlier this summer an article was published in which Snow declared that he had made a more then fair offer to PA but had it declined. Parenteau’s reason was believed to be that he thought that he could get more money and a longer term on July 1st, however if he doesn’t get the type of deal he’s looking for he will more than likely put pen to paper on Snow’s offer.

One of the teams that are deemed likely to land PA if he doesn’t re-sign are the Montreal Canadiens, looking to bring the Hull, Quebec native closer to home. The offers will also start flooding in once, top free agent, Zach Parise’s faith is decided as GMs will look to Parenteau to fill the remaining hole they have in their top 6.

If the Islanders aren’t able to re-sign Parenteau, they will be forced to find another RW to place on the first line along with Matt Moulson and John Tavares. The player will either come from free agency, trade, or inside the system as several candidates are available in each option.

Through free agency the biggest names are, Zach Parise, Alexander Semin, Jaromir Jagr, Shane Doan, and Dustin Penner. Out of the five the likeliest one to land would probably be either Semin or Doan as the rest are either likely to re-sign with their clubs before Sunday or will be looking to sign with teams that are closer to being legitimate Stanley Cup Contenders.

Via trade the biggest names are obviously Rick Nash and Bobby Ryan. Nash has a NTC (no-trade clause) on his contract and is very unlikely to drop the clause for a team like the Islanders. Ryan however may be interesting, he simply wants out of Anaheim so if the Islanders are willing to maybe slightly overpay for the very talented winger there might be a chance that Long Island is his next stop. However, Garth Snow has never been one to overpay for a player, especially if it interferes with his beloved rebuild so fans should keep their expectations low when it comes to the trade route.

The “inside the system” route is one of the less interesting yet likelier routes as the names are mostly down to Kyle Okposo, as a power forward he would give the line an intensity and physicality its lacking, and also the only player on the team to have also played on the first line before and produced quite well. The other player, and this is mostly just my opinion, is Josh Bailey. Bailey showed late last season that he will produce best a playmaking winger, much like PA, and is the best choice if Capuano chooses to try to fill the hole with another Parenteau type of player. There’s very little doubt in my mind that Bailey would be successful on that line and is the best the Islanders have when it comes to emulating Parenteau’s play and influence on the first line.

In other news, the Islanders made their qualifying offers to their restricted free agents today. Offers were made to Matt Martin, Justin Dibenedetto, Mark Katic, Rhett Rakhshani, Mikko Koskinen, Tomas Marcinko, Ty Wishart, and Sean Backman. Tyler McNeely, Tony Romano, Yuri Alexandrov, and Yannick Reindeau were the four players that were released.]]>robertoscalia7@yahoo.com (Roberto Scalia)frontpageWed, 27 Jun 2012 03:17:18 +0000Visnovsky Saga Concludes Before It Beginshttp://www.islandershockeyblog.com/2012-articles/june/visnovsky-sage-concludes-before-it-begins.html
http://www.islandershockeyblog.com/2012-articles/june/visnovsky-sage-concludes-before-it-begins.htmlOn draft day, the New York Islanders were the first ones to make an impact as almost immediately following the drafting of Nail Yakupov as the first overall pick, it was announced that the Islanders had traded their 2013 second round pick to the Anaheim Ducks for veteran defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky.

The following day, an article started making the rounds in which Visnovsky, in an interview with a European newspaper, stated "I get offers from Russia and I think about them.” Fans were, as to be expected, shocked at these comments and everyone wondered if this was going to be a sort of Evgeni Nabokov repeat, where the player is, in Visnovsky’s case, traded for but doesn’t report to the team.

However, earlier today Arthur Staple of Newsday took it upon himself to personally call the Slovakian defenseman and find out the full story. Visnovsky stated that the famed interview had actually taken place before the trade itself, and he’d been asked about whether he’d play in the KHL or Slovakia in case of yet another lockout. He confirmed to all fans that he would be present at training camp, and stated that “this is my first choice, to play for the Islanders.”

The 35 year old, 36 in August, has a cap hit of $5.6 million, but only a $3 million salary in the last year of his contract. Visnovsky will give a definite boost to the Islanders power play, take some of the pressure off of Islander captain Mark Streit, and also helps the Islanders fill one of the defensive holes as it seems obvious that Mark Eaton, Milan Jurcina, and Steve Staios (now a front office employee of the Toronto Maple Leafs) will not be back next season.

The Islanders will likely fill the other two spots left on the blue line with one free agent signing, and the promotion of one of Matt Donovan, Aaron Ness, and/or Calvin de Haan with Donovan and Ness the likeliest candidates. After said promotion and signing the Islanders defense should look something like this:

Visnovsky Hamonic

Streit MacDonald

FA Donovan

A major improvement from last year’s:

Streit Staios

MacDonald Hamonic

Eaton Staios/Jurcina

]]>robertoscalia7@yahoo.com (Roberto Scalia)frontpageSun, 24 Jun 2012 16:49:34 +0000Islanders Sign Rileyhttp://www.islandershockeyblog.com/2012-articles/june/islanders-sign-riley.html
http://www.islandershockeyblog.com/2012-articles/june/islanders-sign-riley.htmlThe Islanders made their second signing of the summer today as they signed forward Blair Riley to a one year, two-way deal.

The Ferris State graduate spent the 2011-12 season up and down from the AHL and the ECHL, and impressed the Islander organization with his grit. In the 55 games he’s played for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Riley had seven goals and four assists for a total of eleven points on the season, with a -3 +/- and 77 PIMS.

While the signing isn’t exactly the biggest signing of the market, it’s good to remember that a team isn’t solely made up of superstars and depth signings are also necessary to a good team.

When interviewed about his first professional contract by the Connecticut Post, Riley had this to say:

“I got an opportunity there to show what I could do at the American League level, an opportunity to take a step forward… I’m very comfortable going to camp, knowing a bunch of the guys, and with the staff. They know what to expect from me.”